The Meaning of Ezekiel 33:6 Explained

Ezekiel 33:6

KJV: But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

YLT: And the watchman, when he seeth the sword coming in, And he hath not blown with a trumpet, And the people hath not been warned, And come in doth a sword, And taketh away of them -- a soul, He in his iniquity is taken away, And his blood from the hand of the watchman I require.

Darby: But if the watchman see the sword coming, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned, if the sword come and take a person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

ASV: But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned, and the sword come, and take any person from among them; he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But if the watchman  see  the sword  come,  and blow  not the trumpet,  and the people  be not warned;  if the sword  come,  and take  [any] person  from among them, he is taken away  in his iniquity;  but his blood  will I require  at the watchman's  hand. 

What does Ezekiel 33:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezekiel 33:1-16 - "why Will Ye Die?"
The prophet depicts the peasantry of a fertile valley as engaged in pastoral pursuits. It is a peaceful, happy scene; but, creeping through the mountain passes, are their deadliest foes. How necessary that there should be a watchman, trumpet in hand, to give notice; and how unspeakable his guilt if he forbear to sound a warning! We are not responsible for those who refuse to take warning from our announcements, faithfully given; but if we perceive a soul in mortal danger and forbear to warn it, we are not only responsible for its ruin, but we bring awful retribution upon ourselves. Well might Richard Baxter lie awake at night beneath his awful sense of responsibility for the souls of men. God desires our salvation. If only the sinner will confess his sins to the faithful and merciful High Priest, and make such restitution as he can, not one of his sins shall be remembered against him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 33

1  According to the duty of a watchman in warning the people
7  Ezekiel is admonished of his duty
10  God shows the justice of his ways toward the penitent and toward revolters
17  He maintains his justice
21  Upon the news of the taking of Jerusalem
25  he prophecies the desolation of the land
30  God's judgment upon the mockers of the prophets

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 33:6 mean?

But the watchman if sees - the sword coming and not does blow the trumpet and the people not are warned and comes the sword and takes from among them [any] person he in his iniquity is taken away but his blood at hand Of the watchman I will require -
וְ֠הַצֹּפֶה כִּֽי־ יִרְאֶ֨ה אֶת־ הַחֶ֜רֶב בָּאָ֗ה וְלֹֽא־ תָקַ֤ע בַּשּׁוֹפָר֙ וְהָעָ֣ם לֹֽא־ נִזְהָ֔ר וַתָּב֣וֹא חֶ֔רֶב וַתִּקַּ֥ח מֵהֶ֖ם נָ֑פֶשׁ ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֺנ֣וֹ נִלְקָ֔ח וְדָמ֖וֹ מִיַּֽד־ הַצֹּפֶ֥ה אֶדְרֹֽשׁ ס

וְ֠הַצֹּפֶה  But  the  watchman 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch.
יִרְאֶ֨ה  sees 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַחֶ֜רֶב  the  sword 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
בָּאָ֗ה  coming 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תָקַ֤ע  does  blow 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: תֹּוקְעִים 
Sense: to blow, clap, strike, sound, thrust, give a blow, blast.
בַּשּׁוֹפָר֙  the  trumpet 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֹׁופָר  
Sense: horn, ram’s horn.
וְהָעָ֣ם  and  the  people 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
נִזְהָ֔ר  are  warned 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: זָהַר 
Sense: to admonish, warn, teach, shine, send out light, be light, be shining.
וַתָּב֣וֹא  and  comes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
חֶ֔רֶב  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
וַתִּקַּ֥ח  and  takes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
מֵהֶ֖ם  from  among  them 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
נָ֑פֶשׁ  [any]  person 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
בַּעֲוֺנ֣וֹ  in  his  iniquity 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
נִלְקָ֔ח  is  taken  away 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
וְדָמ֖וֹ  but  his  blood 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
מִיַּֽד־  at  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
הַצֹּפֶ֥ה  Of  the  watchman 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch.
אֶדְרֹֽשׁ  I  will  require 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation